Leaf collecting system

Abstract

A chute is fabricated of a resilient, generally rigid material. The chute has a central section and two side sections coupled to the central section. The central section and each side section have input edges, output edges and side edges there between. Each side section has a cut out extending from its output edge toward its input edge. The cut out extends inwardly from its exterior edge. The chute is adapted to be held in an open orientation. The side sections are in a spaced configuration. The input ends and L-shaped cut outs within a trash container and the remainder of the chute extend outwardly from the trash container. In this manner a user may sweep leaves and other debris onto the central section of the chute between the side sections and into the trash container.

1. A leaf collecting system for assisting users in moving leaves and other debris into a trash container for disposal comprising, in combination:
 a trash container comprising an essentially rigid trash can with an insertable flexible liner, the trash can having a generally rectilinear configuration with a rectangular closed bottom and a parallel rectangular open top and with broad side walls and narrow end walls there between, the trash container being movable between a storage orientation with the top above the bottom and an operational orientation with the top laterally spaced from the bottom with one broad side wall resting on the ground; 
 a moving device adapted to push leaves and other debris into the trash container for disposal purposes, such moving device selected from the class of moving devices including brooms, brushes and rakes; 
 a chute fabricated of a resilient, generally rigid plastic material, the chute having a central section and two similarly shaped side sections pivotally coupled to the central section, the central section having a rectangular configuration with a short input edge and a parallel output edge and longer parallel side edges there between, each side section having an input edge adjacent to and slightly smaller than the input edge of the central section, each side section having an output edge adjacent to and about half the length of the output edge of the central section, each side section having an interior edge pivotally coupled to a side edge of the central section, each side section having an exterior edge extending from the front edge of a side section, each side section having an L-shaped cut out extending from its output edge toward its input edge and extending from its exterior edge toward its interior edge, the chute adapted to be held in an open orientation with the side sections in a spaced parallel configuration and the output ends and L-shaped cut out within the trash container and the remainder of the chute extending outwardly from the trash container so that a user may sweep leaves and other debris onto the central section of the chute between the side sections and into the trash container and the trash container may then be tipped erect; and 
 three similarly configured oval hand holes including a first hand hole located in the central section adjacent to the input edge and adjacent to one side section and a second hand hole located in the one side section adjacent to the input edge and the central section and a third hand hole located in the other side section adjacent to the input edge and remote from the central section whereby when the chute is not in use, the side sections may be folded flat and parallel with the central section with the three hand holes in alignment for carrying purposes. 
 
   
   
     2. A leaf collecting system comprising:
 a chute fabricated of a resilient, generally rigid material having a central section and two side sections coupled to the central section, the central section and each side section having input edge and an output edge with side edges there between, each side section having an L-shaped cut out extending from its output edge toward its input edge and extending inwardly from its exterior edge, the chute adapted to be held in an open orientation with the side sections in a spaced configuration and the input ends and L-shaped cut outs within a trash container and the remainder of the chute extending outwardly from the trash container so that a user may sweep leaves and other debris onto the central section of the chute between the side sections and into the trash container; wherein the side sections are pivotally connected to the central section, and further including: 
 three similarly configured oval hand holes including a first hand hole located in the central section adjacent to the input edge and adjacent to one side section and a second hand hole located in the one side section adjacent to the input edge and the central section and a third hand hole located in the other side section adjacent to the input edge and remote from the central section whereby when the chute is not in use, the side sections may be folded flat and parallel with the central section with the three hand holes in alignment for carrying purposes.